Church sermon series

Rediscover Christmas 2020

Good News in Troubling Times

We’ve made it! We’ve made it to Advent and the Christmas season! And wow, can we certainly use some Christmas! It’s been a year like no other, to put it mildly. Global pandemic, economic recession, mass unemployment, political division, cultural upheaval, racial reckoning, record wildfires, extra powerful hurricanes, devastating floods. Did I miss anything? Maybe whatever personal struggles you are facing are a result of those wide-scale events or completely unrelated. In whatever form they’ve come for you, the realities of life have been heavy and humbling. We have been aware of the darkness around us.

It’s the ideal setting for some light. It’s just the kind of backdrop for a Savior to come. It’s the perfect time to rediscover Christmas. Because no matter how troubling the times, and no matter how heavy our hearts, there is good news. The greatest news!

 

As the angels proclaimed it on the night of Jesus’s birth long ago: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:10-14)

 

This is the news of the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God. This is the news that drives away fear and fills us with joy and holds us in peace. It’s news of the reality we are invited to step into and experience.

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Resources:

Please enjoy this weekly Advent companion devotional.
DOWNLOAD: Advent_Reading_plan.pdf

Schedule:

11/29 – Week 1 – KING OF HOPE: – BOB

12/6 – Week 2 – KING OF PEACE – DAVE

12/13 – Week 3 – KING OF JOY – DAVE

12/20 – Week 4 – KING OF LOVE  – BOB

12/23 – Christmas Eve Eve – The King is Here

12/24 – Christmas Eve – same as above

 

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Resources:

1.  Tim Keller’s, “Hidden Christmas”

2. Tim Keller – Message on Psalm 2 “Jesus our King”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjMGMUuNpZ4
We have a king 2. We hate the king 3. We need the king)

3. John Piper – “Coronavirus and Christ.” E BOOK https://document.desiringgod.org/coronavirus-and-christ-en.pdf?ts=1586278809

Schedule:

11/29 – Week 1 – KING OF HOPE: – BOB

How has this year devastated your hopes? This sermon should focus on the Promised King of the OT, predictions, types and shadows in all the OT Kings

Text ideas: OT Prophecies; Isa 9, Micah 5, other types and shadows, David, Solomon, etc. (other texts as needed)

 

12/6 – Week 2 – KING OF PEACE – DAVE

How has this year destroyed your peace? This sermon focuses on Jesus as a different kind of King, compared to King Herod, a ruthless, arrogant tyrant, Jesus came to bring peace through humility and sacrifice, ”God and sinners reconciled.” Text ideas: Matthew 2; Romans 5:1  (other texts as needed)

12/13 – Week 3 – KING OF JOY – DAVE

How has this year stolen your joy? This sermon focuses on the unshakeable source of joy as we rejoice in God our savior. Text ideas: Luke 1 – The Magnificat; Luke 2 – “Good tidings of great joy”   (other texts as needed)

 

12/20 – Week 4 – KING OF LOVE  – BOB

How has this year threatened our love for others? How is Jesus the answer as the one who loved his enemies and His kingdom shows a better way.

Text idea: John 3:16; Romans 5:8 (Other texts as needed)

 

12/23 – Christmas Eve Eve – The King is Here

This has been a very difficult year. How can the message of Christmas be exactly what we need in 2020?

How can the presence of our savior make a difference in our shattered lives?

12/24 – Christmas Eve – same as above

 

Previous Sermons

Sermon on deck…

Triumphs & Tragedies of Israel’s Kings

Triumphs & Tragedies of Israel’s Kings

Do you feel like our world is out of control? More than any moment in our lifetime, the events of 2020 have shown us the fragility of our nation: a global health pandemic, racial rioting, a divided government, and the very questioning of history itself.

If you feel like our world is out of control, you have something in common with the people of Israel in the books of 1 & 2 Kings.The story begins at the high age of King David and ends with his descendants being carried into exile by the Babylonians.

How did this happen? In short, it was a failure of leadership in the nation of Israel. In between David and the exile, we encounter stories of kings and prophets, civil war, revolution, and false worship. Yet, despite all of this uncertainty, the story shows us that God is still faithful even when His people are unfaithful; God is still in control even when everything else is out of control. If you need hope in the year of 2020…we invite you to journey through 1-2 Kings with us this Fall.

Resources:

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Schedule:

9/20 – Solomon: A Complicated Leader (1 Kgs. 1-11)

9/27 – Jeroboam vs. Rehoboam: Division & Civil War (1 Kgs. 12-16)

10/4 – Elijah: A Prophet Rises (1 Kings 18:20-40)

10/11 – Ahab: King of Wickedness (1 Kings 20:1-43)

10/18 – Elisha: Passing The Torch (2 Kings 2:1-14)

10/25 – Elisha: The Miracle of the Widow’s Oil (2 Kings 4) 

11/1 – Jehu and Joash: The Kingdom of God is Forever (2 Kings 9-12)

11/8 – Hoshea: The Fall of Samaria (2 Kings 17:1-23)

11/15 – Hezekiah: Faithfulness in Wicked Times (2 Kings 18:1-12; 19:14-19)

11/22 – Josiah: The Great Reformer (2 Kings 22:1-4, 11-20; 23:4-23)

Previous Sermons

Sermon on deck…

Proverbs, The Way of Wisdom

The Way of Wisdom, Sermon Series  

Have you ever been traveling around in a new place and suddenly felt lost and disoriented? Sometimes life can feel that way. There are new situations with each new season of life, filled with confusing decisions to make and crossroads that leave us at times puzzled, perplexed and paralyzed with indecision. What is the wise thing to do? The book of Proverbs is an ancient source of wisdom, compiled for the nation’s king, that still serves as a 21st century spiritual navigational tool. How do we avoid foolish choices? How do we handle our money in a godly way? How can we manage our emotions? This practical book is about how to conduct ourselves in our daily lives with all the routine issues which often baffle us in our parenting, our work and our conversations with others. We have a guide book from God Himself which shows us how to order our steps each day and please Him.  

Resources:

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Schedule:

4/19 – Romans 9 (Part 1) ~ Sovereignty of God

4/26 –  Romans 9 (Part 2) ~ Sovereignty of God

5/3 –  Romans 9:30-10:21 ~ Our Responsibility / How will they hear?

5/10 – Romans 11:1-36 ~ The Plan of the Ages (Mother’s Day)

5/17 – Romans 12:1-2 ~ Living Sacrifices

5/24 – Romans 12:3-16 ~ Serving in the body / spiritual gifts

5/31 – Romans 13:1-7 ~ Our relationship with the World / The role of Government

6/7 – Romans 13:8-14 ~ It’s all about Love

6/14 – Romans 14-15:4 ~ Unity / Gray Areas / Christian Liberty

6/21 – Romans 14 (Part 2) ~ Father’s Day (Youth?)

6/28 – Romans 15:5   Concluding remarks

Previous Sermons

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Sermon on deck…

Romans 9-16, Behold, New Life: Living & Loving as Heirs

A Journey though Romans, Sermon Series  

The second half of Romans is at tale of two “therefores.” In Romans 8:1 we read: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” This verse explodes off the page—for the Christian, there is no separation from the love of their Heavenly Father! Through the work of Jesus on the cross and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, we have been given new life! Romans 9-11 expounds on the theme of God’s sovereignty, which makes us humble and confident at the same time. Then we encounter the second “therefore.” In Romans 12:1 we read: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice.” In other words, since we have been given new life, now we must live differently. Romans 12-16 is an extending application of everything we learned in Romans 1-11. Our justification and adoption now effects how we live everyday; how we treat our enemies; how we disagree; how we view government; how we use our spiritual gifts. Behold, NEW LIFE! Now need to live and love as heirs… join us as we learn how.

Recommended companion reading:

  • Romans for you (Part 1 & 2) – by Tim Keller
  • Commentary on Romans – Doug Moo
  • Romans – the greatest letter ever written – John Piper – several years long
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Schedule:

4/19 – Romans 9 (Part 1) ~ Sovereignty of God

4/26 –  Romans 9 (Part 2) ~ Sovereignty of God

5/3 –  Romans 9:30-10:21 ~ Our Responsibility / How will they hear?

5/10 – Romans 11:1-36 ~ The Plan of the Ages (Mother’s Day)

5/17 – Romans 12:1-2 ~ Living Sacrifices

5/24 – Romans 12:3-16 ~ Serving in the body / spiritual gifts

5/31 – Romans 13:1-7 ~ Our relationship with the World / The role of Government

6/7 – Romans 13:8-14 ~ It’s all about Love

6/14 – Romans 14-15:4 ~ Unity / Gray Areas / Christian Liberty

6/21 – Romans 14 (Part 2) ~ Father’s Day (Youth?)

6/28 – Romans 15:5   Concluding remarks

Previous Sermons in this Series